‘Towards Full Presence’ to fully engage with Social Media

Over 450 youth leaders and youth directors attended the 5th National Youth Conference organized by the Indian Catholic Youth Movement (icym) held in Guwahati, North East India. The event, held at St. Francis de Sales School, Narengi, from October 23 to 27, was hosted by the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (ccbi) Youth Commission, with Fr. Chethan Machado serving as its secretary.

The conference offered a diverse range of activities, including workshops, group discussions, animations, and region-specific cultural presentations. It attracted participants from various backgrounds and regions.

The primary focus of the conference was to delve into the importance of family, parents, grandparents, and the elderly in understanding the dynamics of family relationships.

During this workshop, students were introduced to the recent document titled “Towards Full Presence” published by the Dicastery for Communication (Vatican News’ parent organization).

Attendees were encouraged to engage responsibly with social media and to become “good Samaritans” in the digital community.

The workshop shed light on the prevalence of social media and how it has transformed communication and interaction among young people. Participants discussed social media usage patterns, exploring the frequency and duration of social media engagement among young people. Additionally, they raised questions about topics such as fomo (Fear of Missing Out) and the consequences of constant social comparison.